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War stories galore among county vets
Five O'Clock Shadow
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Published: November 1, 2009
Except for the tireless efforts of Professor George W. Hahn, Catawba County men who served in the Civil War would have become blank pages in history.
The professor interviewed veterans, taking notes on their combat experiences. At the homes of men who were buried on far-flung battle grounds, grieving widows let letters from the front tell their husbands' stories, where and what happened. Pictures of the veterans were borrowed for use as illustrations. About 1,500 men marched away to support the Confederate cause. Only 1,200 returned, many missing a leg, an arm or both.
On either side of a battle line, the same surgical operation was used for any soldier who took a hit on a key bone of an arm or leg: That meant amputation.
The result in 1911 was a book on the Tar Heel volunteers, "The Catawba Soldier of the Civil War," which observed, "No flag ever waved over braver boys, and none who wore the grey showed more willingness or promptness than did the heroic sons of Catawba."
Many of those returned became successful farmers or businessmen. Some served as leaders in local government.
Hahn's one regret was that he didn't collect the stories for the book 45 years earlier.
Death claimed many of the veterans, unaware of a book of appreciation for having answered the call to serve for a cause that appeared to them righteous and just.
Using an original copy, the book was reprinted by Clay Printing Co. in 1978, along with rough pictures, old spelling and errors — exactly as the original.
Catawbans who served in France in World War I were able to march through the magnificent Arc de Triomphe in Paris when "the war to end all wars" ended.
In Hickory, a much smaller version of the French monument was erected as a welcome home for the returning Doughboys.
Except for names on a monument on Courthouse Square in Newton, there was little personal recognition.
Ironically, World War II was just 23 years in the future.
The World War II monument on the National Mall in Washington finally happened after a half-century's wait.
Honor Air, a program of appreciation, was created by members of the Rotary Club of Asheville.
Several thousand WWII vets have been flown to Washington free of charge to view this national thank-you for having served their country.
Time is running out for the heroes of the big war, who are dying at a rate of 1,500 daily.
In a race against time, the Catawba County Historical Association will begin a program in early January 2010 to begin filming interviews of county WWII veterans. "Voices of World War II" is supported with a grant from the United Art Council of Catawba County.
The filmed interviews will become a complimentary piece of the county museum's exhibition of "Spirit, Sacrifice, and Commitment: The Catawba Soldier in WWII."
To be filmed by Richard Eller, interviews will include combat GIs of all branches of service, plus nurses and Red Cross workers.
Catawba County veterans from all branches of service may volunteer by calling 828-465-0383.
Know a good combat veteran nominee? Call the same number, leaving the individual's name and contact phone number.
The filmed interview at the top of the new year amounts to a race against the ravages of time and an escalating death rate among WWII heroes.
Charles Deal is a former newspaper editor and publisher. Reach him at chazdeal@aol.com.
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